Kindergartner Stands Up to Bully
Special Thanks to Atheism ResourceThe following story is based on a TRUE event. The names of the people involved have been changed to protect their identity. YES… THIS IS 100% TRUE.
This happened to the 6 year old son of a friend of mine today (we’ll call him Zach):
“So this kid was discussing Jesus to my son at school. Zach told him that he didn’t believe in God. The boy told him the story about Jesus dying and coming back to life. Zach’s response? ‘Jesus is a zombie!?!?’ And the boy went further saying that Jesus helps those in need. Zach asked why Jesus wasn’t helping [them] (Mom got laid off for having students in a college course write about atheism), and the kid said only ‘special people’ get his help. Zach said it was apparently like Paranorman (the movie). The kid pushed Zach, called Zach the devil… Zach defended himself and gave the kid a black eye. Both kids were suspended.
As we were leaving, Zach asked the boy, “Where is your god now?”
The fight was just usually a one day suspension but Zach argued with his principal when she suggested that Zach respect others religious beliefs. He asked about those who don’t believe in the zombie guy and his god. She told him that people should respect others’ religions and that’s final. He told her she was wrong. So an extra day was put on Zach’s suspension.”
What was the punishment from his mom? Well, after explaining how violence doesn’t solve anything and that when something like this happens he should use his words instead of his fists. But since he was defending himself, standing up to a bully, and defending his stance on Jesus she decided he would get an ice cream sundae!
Thoughts? In my opinion the principal should tell the other student that preaching belongs in church. She needs to respect Zach’s right to NOT be preached to at school.
What are Christian families thinking when they indoctrinate a child to the point of fighting violently for the cause? Are they equating sword and stone with the bible and a non-believer? Maybe the violent imagery is starting to sink in earlier? I remember growing up and being told to be a Christian Soldier. My sword was my bible and my words were the stones; but if push came to shove (literally) then you should start attacking that person personally. I remember time and time again during church camps how much they pushed and pushed us to proselytize to each and every person and to not let up. Even to the point where harassment was ok. We were told to push our beliefs on the other person. This is what it can lead to. I am proud of Zach for what he did and I think we should encourage our children to stand up for themselves (not violently) in the face of organized religion. Reward our children for being intelligent, critical thinkers who enjoy life not constrained by the rules of organized religion. I’m glad my daughter will not have to suffer the shame and guilt I did growing up. And even more proud that this little boy is part of the catalyst for change.
UPDATE: 2/21/2013
The Christian child’s parents made their child apologize to Zach. They t
old his parents that their child shouldn’t have pushed Zach and that they would talk to the principal to ensure equal punishment since both children fought and it was their child that didn’t respect a person’s beliefs or lack thereof.
Also Zach’s mother approached the Super Intendent of the school to take off the extra day of suspension for her son. She made sure to report what the principal had said and that the principal needs to be reprimanded in this matter so it doesn’t occur again. In the end Zach had the extra day taken off and had a great day with his Mom.
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Child gets suspended for being an atheist http://t.co/eobOjGdd
The only reason we have to “respect” others religions is that they don’t stand up to scrutiny. Challenging a house of cards brings it tumbling down so we must not even breathe on it.
If it had any substance whatever, people would not be in the least afraid to have it discussed.
Great article fraught with typos.
Sorry I took it off of Atheism Resource and added a bit on the end from myself. It was 4 am and I shouldn’t have published it until I had read through it with fresh eyes. But I have changed it a little here and there. Please feel free to email me with your suggested edits and changes. I do not profess to be a great writer.
when one of my nephews was very young, he got into a fight with a schoolyard friend … the subject of the argument: that my nephew was catholic, NOT a christian.. his parents would tell the story with great pride. (i just shook my head in disbelief and kept my mouth shut … of course this was a long time ago! nowadays, i’d have a LOT to say!)
I have to say the mother was wrong. Violence DOES solve problems, it solves problems every day. Giving him a black eye in self defense was EXACTLY the right answer. You should ALWAYS stand up for yourself, violently, if necessary. That non-violence bullshit does not work. The doctrine of defeated people only leads to further defeat.
It’s sad when a 6-year old understands respect better than a grown up and educator. http://t.co/ymnkiHfk
Child gets suspended for being an #atheist http://t.co/3x3qdvSA #atheism
Zelfs onder kinderen accepteert het zgn. gelovige kind niet dat er een kind is dat niet gelooft. Als het even… http://t.co/oVlqf0XZ
WHAT school/community did this occur at?
We are keeping that anonymous due to this occurring to a small child. But I can say it happened in the South Eastern part of the state of Kansas.
Teach the Children Well. http://t.co/GAzS9HvlDR
This was not really about a kid being suspended for being an atheist. The title is misleading. For the sake of argument, let’s remove religion completely from the picture and treat it as it should have been treated completely – as a playground squabble. The principal should have been fair across the board if you ask me. 1 day each, and 1 day to the kid that started the fight to begin with. Adding an extra day because the kid did not agree with the principal was childish on the principal’s part if you ask me. I also want to know where the teacher(s) was/were when this was taking place since these were five year old, (possibly six year old children)!
Now, I personally do not believe that a child should be penalize for defending themselves with as little physical contact as possible. Fight only if necessary. I could go on for days on this one. My son was suspended for defending himself and I argued, (it was more like a debate), with the school principal for an hour plus over it. It got me nowhere, yet he did agree I was right. That essentially made my son give up on school the rest of the year. Sometimes school policies are wrong.
The atheist kid started the fight by ridiculing the other boy.
The boy didn’t like the ridicule.
Should he have just taken it?
Never submit to ridicule and bullying.
Got that, Adam? You arrogant jerk…
I don’t know why you are attacking Adam. I am the one who posted this on our website. This is AMANDA the founder and President of WAA. This is a real story, from a real kid, that was being bullied for being an atheist as well as getting mistreated for being an atheist. The child who decided to mistreat a fellow classmate for not believing in god nor going to church is where the fight/bullying began. The atheist child was the one who defended himself. The Christian child was the one who was in the wrong. And as the update states even the Christian child’s parents agreed that their child was in the wrong and should not have started a fight because the other child disagreed with him regarding god.
Moderate away, coward.
You got the message.
We moderate to ensure someone like you doesn’t go off the handle to someone who is vulnerable after coming out as an atheist. Its hard enough when you deal with a fundamental family and friends after you tell them you do not believe in their deity. It doesn’t help to have adult online bullies as well.
Child gets suspended for being an atheist | We Are Atheism: Zach asked why Jesus wasn’t helping [them] (Mom got… http://t.co/6hUuroiWkv
As H.L.Mencken said, “We should respect the other fellow’s religion, but only in the same sense and to the same extent as we respect his view that his wife is beautiful and his children intelligent.”
It was all Zach’s fault. There’s obviously a lot wrong with that kid. The other kid simply pushed zach. Why did zach have to give the kid a black eye. That’s worse than being pushed. However the other kid was wrong in pushing zach but zach was even more wrong in going as far as punching him. Shame on Zach and shame on Amanda Brown for being proud of him.
I’m proud of a small child standing up for themselves. He tried using his words but the other kid wouldn’t give in. I think adults such as yourself forget how tough it is in grade school or any level of public education for the kids to get along and fit in with one another. So for this child to stand up and say he’s an atheist in a crowd of other children who have most likely never been introduced to the idea of atheism was brave and powerful in and of itself. But Zach needed to defend himself not only verbally but physically from this child. Who nows what might have happened if he didn’t punch him back?
I can completely feel for this young kid.
I was bullied by a lot of kids during my life, and when I finally fought back (Sadly with my fists) I was suspended as this young kid was. The other boy wasn’t because he “only used words” and never “involved physical confrontation”. However, my father simply asked “did you hit him good?” and my mom took me for ice cream as well the next day and I got a toy.
I was told not to resort to violence, and I haven’t since. But here I am 22-years old and agreeing with a young child.